Denton Mateychuk

September 2026 – Mateychuk took a leap in his second season between the NHL and AHL, establishing himself as something as close to a regular on Columbus’ blue line as he could get. The 21-year-old defenseman set career highs across the board in 2025-26, recording 13 goals and 18 assists for a total of 31 points across 75 games while averaging 19:11 minutes per night. His 13 goals were especially notable after he managed just four in 45 games as a rookie. Mateychuk also finished the season with a plus-12 rating and signed through 2026-27, remaining an important part of the Blue Jackets’ younger defensive core. Jayd Serdy

September 2025 – Mateychuk wrapped up his first NHL campaign, immediately stepping into the top four and showing no problems adapting to the NHL. Physicality remains an issue, but his motor and skating offset it in most scenarios. His creativity and natural playmaking instincts continue to shine, though his shots per game are quite low. As long as Werenski is healthy and in the lineup, there is little chance Mateychuk earns a role on the first power play, unless Columbus runs two defensemen, which is rare. He will not be the headliner for Columbus anytime soon, but he has positioned himself as their top defensive prospect. Managers who could use a 30-point defenseman should keep him in mind. If Werenski were to get injured, Mateychuk would likely be promoted to the top power play unit. He does not provide much in hits, but his block totals are respectable. – Markus R

February 2025 – In his first 20 games after a late December call-up, Mateychuk has recorded two goals and two assists while averaging 18 minutes a night. His high motor skills, positional awareness, and mobility in all three zones have helped him adapt to the pace of play and transition nicely into the NHL. To fully round out his two-way game, he needs to adjust to the physicality at the next level and find more efficient ways to win board battles and gain net front position. With the departure of David Jiricek, he has the chance to establish himself as the top defenseman in the Jackets prospect pool and secure a lasting role on the team while continuing his development. Owen Hilsinger

October 2022- Mateychuk was sent back to the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL for the season, where he was named team Captain. Caleb Kerney

July 2022 – The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Mateychuk as the 12th pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

December 2021 – Mateychuk played well in an abbreviated WHL season in 2020-21 but has taken his game to another level for Moose Jaw this year. There is a significant gap between him and the next highest-scoring draft-eligible defenceman in the WHL. Still, it is the way that he has balanced an attacking mindset with responsible defensive play that has drawn the most praise. Mateychuk has been a steady climber in scouting circles all season long, and there is a chance he could hear his name called within the first ten picks of the 2022 draft if he maintains his strong play in the second half. Nick Richard

September 2021 – With the WHL schedule on hold, Denton Mateychuk began the 2020-21 season playing in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and scored three points in eight games for the Steinbach Pistons. He rejoined Moose Jaw when the WHL season got underway and finished with nine points in 16 games while playing just over 23 minutes per game. The Winnipeg native is expected to play a prominent role for the Warriors in his draft year.

Mateychuk is a well-rounded blue liner with good instincts at both ends of the ice. He is a smooth skater who can shake off opposing forecheckers before skating the puck up ice in offensive transition. He moves the puck quickly but rarely forces it, instead opting to use his mobility to retreat and regroup to create a more advantageous situation. Mateychuk is poised walking the offensive blue line and knows when to activate into space to make himself available or draw pressure away from a puck-carrying teammate. His mobility in the offensive zone forces opposing defenders to react and, in turn, can open up passing lanes when his team has established possession. When his team doesn’t have possession of the puck, he utilizes shoulder checks to scan the ice around him and identify potential threats. Mateychuk isn’t the biggest player, but he is strong on his feet and takes intelligent routes to cut players off along the boards and slow down the cycle game. He establishes good body positioning in defensive zone coverage and has excellent timing when tying up opposing sticks to disrupt passes into dangerous areas. When defending the rush, Mateychuk consistently takes away the middle of the ice and forces puck carriers wide with good stick positioning. He can be aggressive with his gaps because he usually recovers when he gets beat. His game doesn’t have a lot of flair, but he does many things that drive his team to play in the right direction. Added extension and power in his stride would make him even more challenging in the junior ranks. He needs to play with a bit more quickness and assertiveness in his decision-making, but Mateychuk has all the tools to carve out a top-four role in the NHL someday. Nick Richard